I doubt a single person here thinks CAPTCHA is fool proof, and I certainly didn't read such a post. Also it is a system which may be around 10 years old, but has only been in common use for the past 5 year or so, and until someone comes up with something better it remains one option.

Anyway, I join others in thanking you for the work you do. I have worked on high volume forums in the past and it can be a nightmare.

Of course most of these bots - whether they be human bots, clever code, or a combination - nearly all want one thing - links. I would suggest you remove a member's ability to add a link to his/her signature, and manage how (or which) users can add links posts. Once you do that all the bots will (slowly) realise that it isn't worth their time trying to push through the system.

Good luck.

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1D X + backup + different L lenses etc.

canon rumors FORUM

Thanx again for working to keep this superb resource up and running. I continue to be amazed that there is no way to send like 147,000 volts back down the lines into the spammers vile little CPU's. Stupid Laws of Physics........

We will not approve membership if the account name looks like a advertisement, is a e-mail address, or just sounds phoney, It is definitely better if a account name has some recognizable link to photography.

This is way too subjective and what may be an advertisement / email / phoney to you may just be perfect for someone else. Compound this by the fact that the username will be rejected after one day I doubt a genuine user who is rejected will bother to try again (I certainly wouldn't, but that's just me).

IMHO a captcha is a better idea as suggested above.

Of course, we use captcha.

With human assisted spambots, its no barrier, and most robots read it as well. Those who think captcha is fool proof are out of date, 10 years out. Captcha is like a screen on the front end, each step filters out a few potential spammers. We don't reject someone unless their user name is clearly out of line. Rules are not posted just to help spammers get around them.

We check new signups for duplicate ip's, internet providers, and a warning pops up if they have been banned before. Its far from fool proof, just another screen to filter out what we can.

Captcha got so advanced that I couldn't figure out what the code was... so if Captcha is on its way out... I'm happy to see it gone.

We will not approve membership if the account name looks like a advertisement, is a e-mail address, or just sounds phoney, It is definitely better if a account name has some recognizable link to photography.

This is way too subjective and what may be an advertisement / email / phoney to you may just be perfect for someone else. Compound this by the fact that the username will be rejected after one day I doubt a genuine user who is rejected will bother to try again (I certainly wouldn't, but that's just me).

IMHO a captcha is a better idea as suggested above.

Of course, we use captcha.

With human assisted spambots, its no barrier, and most robots read it as well. Those who think captcha is fool proof are out of date, 10 years out. Captcha is like a screen on the front end, each step filters out a few potential spammers. We don't reject someone unless their user name is clearly out of line. Rules are not posted just to help spammers get around them.

We check new signups for duplicate ip's, internet providers, and a warning pops up if they have been banned before. Its far from fool proof, just another screen to filter out what we can.

No security is fool proof and I wouldn't dare to say that a captcha is the "only" solution. That said, I guess we are on opposite sides of the table here with users wanting easier access and the mods wanting a better QC over the sign up process.

I think it is a right step forward. My nickname here is pedro. It refers to my affinity for latin america. And it is also linked to me as an enthusiast photo amateur. Once you want me to change it into "Peter Hauri Enthusiast Photo Amateur", just mail me Oh, as long as I keep my posting credits, though...

We will not approve membership if the account name looks like a advertisement, is a e-mail address, or just sounds phoney, It is definitely better if a account name has some recognizable link to photography.

This is way too subjective and what may be an advertisement / email / phoney to you may just be perfect for someone else. Compound this by the fact that the username will be rejected after one day I doubt a genuine user who is rejected will bother to try again (I certainly wouldn't, but that's just me).

IMHO a captcha is a better idea as suggested above.

Of course, we use captcha.

With human assisted spambots, its no barrier, and most robots read it as well. Those who think captcha is fool proof are out of date, 10 years out. Captcha is like a screen on the front end, each step filters out a few potential spammers. We don't reject someone unless their user name is clearly out of line. Rules are not posted just to help spammers get around them.

We check new signups for duplicate ip's, internet providers, and a warning pops up if they have been banned before. Its far from fool proof, just another screen to filter out what we can.

No security is fool proof and I wouldn't dare to say that a captcha is the "only" solution. That said, I guess we are on opposite sides of the table here with users wanting easier access and the mods wanting a better QC over the sign up process.

Cheers ... J.R.

When a forum gets too hard to join, it slowly dies off. Most forums which make it hard for me to join or do stuff on I never use, even if I get accepted. I think that the combination of captcha and a set of questions would stop a lot of bots... stopping human spammers is more difficult... If, somehow, it can be programmed that they cannot enter links anywhere for about 15 posts, that should help things... Though that also might alienate a few new posters. This is a little like the debate of liberty vs. security, or strength vs. mobility...

I think it is a right step forward. My nickname here is pedro. It refers to my affinity for latin america. And it is also linked to me as an enthusiast photo amateur. Once you want me to change it into "Peter Hauri Enthusiast Photo Amateur", just mail me Oh, as long as I keep my posting credits, though...

No problem with a ID like Pedro, we have contacted only one member and changed their display name for them, since it was a web site .com name intended perhaps to boost their google ratings? We do let people link to their web site in their signature. This is what many spammers try to do, so we watch for that.